Ring of Fire

 

As I sit here humming Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” I can’t help but think about the many rings of fire that touch our lives. Johnny sang of a love so fierce it felt like flames. Couples wear rings that symbolize their promises to forever love each other through all of life’s seasons.

A few months ago, we looked up and witnessed a different kind of fire – a solar eclipse creating a celestial ring of fire in the sky. And now, at the Paris Summer Olympics, we see a ring of fire that was always on the ground as real fire burning inside it during the games.

Now, as the sun goes down over the 2024 Paris Olympics, the marvel rises about 200 feet into the sky every night, tethered to the ground.  What looks like a ring of fire is lifted by a balloon that looks like a hot air balloon. 

But the “ring of fire” isn’t actually burning.  It is an illusion made up of clouds of mist and beams of light.  Isn’t it amazing that the first hot air balloon carrying a human flew in Paris on November 21, 1783 -- the same place the Olympic ring of fire is today?   

These rings of fire – in song, in the sky, in love, and in the Olympics – each tell a story of passion and promise. But there’s another ring that outshines them all.  It’s not an illusion, not bound by time or tethered to the ground. It’s eternal, unmatchable, and freely given by the love of our Heavenly Father.

God’s love is a ring that encircles us with hope, peace, and joy. His promises are as endless as the stars and as steadfast as the sunrise. In a world filled with fleeting moments and temporary wonders, His love stands unshakable. It’s a promise of forever.

I marvel at these earthbound rings of fire, but not as much as we remember the greatest ring of all – God’s unfailing, never-ending love. It’s a love that lifts us higher, shines brighter, and holds us closer than any other.

Let’s set our sights on His eternal promise and let our hearts be stirred by the unmatchable light of His grace.

“The Lord’s love never ends; His mercies never end. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23